Bruises on Their Hearts
by coolmonkey1993
Summary: AU. Inu/Kag Two little kids, both lost in the big, cruel world manage to find a bit of salvation in each other. Summary cont'd in story


**_AU. Two little kids, both lost in the big, cruel world manage to find a bit of salvation in each other. Years pass, and the only one to run away was Inuyasha . Kagome still suffers, afraid of running, afraid of the consequences. Will Inuyasha be able to spare her as he was spared?_**

**_(Disclaimer; Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi)_**

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**Bruises on Their Hearts  
An Inuyasha and Kagome fan fiction  
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**CH. 0  
(prologue)**

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Happy little feet dashed this way and that across the ashpalt of the playground. The left side of Taku Elementary School, where the shiny monkey bars and swing sets resided was covered in happy children running happy steps to their happy activities. There was an abundance of cheer in the air that day, for none of the kids had but a care in the world other than who was it for tag or who could swing the highest. If you listened carefully, you would've heard some of the birdsong over the laughter and squeals of the playground's occupants. It was especially beautiful that day; the bird's chorus.

Inuyasha Takahashi could hear the birds. He could also smell the sweet scent of the grass framing the gritty stench of the playground's ashpalt. He could see clearly a couple of teachers chatting in the field. Inuyasha was capable of many things that the other children were not. He could run farther, see, smell, and hear better than them, but the one thing Inuyasha did not think himself capable of doing was joining the other kids in their play. He was a freak as they called him. They didn't think Inuyasha capable either, especially since it was they who shunned him. Shunned him from the games, from the laughter and smiles, from that feeling of happiness. Hanyous like him ran swiftly on lonely feet, farther ahead then those running on feet that were as happy as all those other children's.

The day he met Kagome Higurashi was the best day he could remember. She had accepted him.

_--"Inuyasha!" The sensei was calling his name, but the boy could care less. He was too sad for the math lesson. Inuyasha's ears, normally erect and alert, flopped onto the top of his head, blending in with the fuzzy white hair. He kept his gaze downcast and let his breath out in sighs. The kids at recess has not let Inuyasha join in the ball game they'd been happily playing. They had said really mean things to him, like how he was too much of a freak to be able to play with normal people or why he wasn't lpaying fetch with his master. Inuyasha had gotten angry, he'd done nothing wrong! Why were they so rude? Then, his anger just got switched off. It didn't matter anymore, no matter how much he shouted and cussed, they'd just continue to ignore and taunt him._

_Suddenly, the glare was off of him. Inuyasha felt the attention of sensei shift from the stubborn pupil, who was now alert once more, to the door. A tiny girl peeked in with nervous brown eyes. Inuyasha watched as the girl stepped timidly into the classroom and handed sensei a slip of paper. As sensei read the paper, Inuyasha noticed many things about the girl. First, Inuyasha caught her scent. It was like the smell of the grass outside, sweet and earthy. Second, he noticed that she was dressed just like a boy in a baggy sweater and baggier blue jeans tied at her waist by a belt. The other girls always wore skirts and dresses._

_"Higurashi, is it? Well, then take that seat over there." Sensei pointed to the empty desk just in front of Inuyasha. No one sat there, it was too close to 'The Freak'._

_Inuyasha had expected the girl, Higurashi, to grimace and demand the other empty seat on the opposite side of the classroom. Instead, he received a small smile and a wave once Higurashi neared. She took her seat silently and paid rapt attention to sensei as soon as she did so. Huh._

_From that day on, whenever Higurashi took her seat in the morning she would smile and give a wave to Inuyasha. Eventually, the pair would strike up small conversations which became big conversations which became quite frequent, even routine. After just a month, the two became inseparable, insisting on being paired up for every single project, being in the same group for every reading circle, just being together. In the same amount of time, the other students learned to do the opposite. They gave the pair a wide, wide berth. But Inuyasha did not care, he didn't even notice. He finally had a friend. She even let him call her Kagome after a while. He skipped right along to Kagome-chan.--_

"Inu-chan!" The all too familiar name rang clearly above all the other noises reaching Inuyasha's ears. Kagome ran up to the hanyou, a huge smile touching both her ears. Inuyasha smiled as well, finding he did that a lot whenever his best friend was around. The girl in question came to a skidding stop, spinning out like a race car before coming to a stop. She had two small paper bags in her hands. "I made it. It's not quite a bento, but I thought you'd like a snack." There was blush of embarrassment marring Kagome's pale cheeks as she handed Inuyasha one of the paper bags. What he pulled out of his bag was a plain rice ball, molded into a dog shape with all too familiar triangle ears.

How lame, Inuyasha thought with a smirk. "You're such a girl, Kagome-chan," he sneered, though he proceeded to shove the entire rice ball into his mouth. He was hungry after all. Kagome scoffed, knowing Inuyasha would eat it anyway. He wasn't a big enough jerk to waste food, no matter its shape. As the hanyou proceeded to swallow the entirety of the rice ball (without choking), he noticed something on Kagome's arm. The sleeve of her sweater had been pushed up to her elbow.

"What are you looking at?" Kagome asked, noticing the intensity of Inuyasha's amber gaze upon her arm. Her face blanched instantly as she tried to shove the sleeve down into its proper place. Inuyasha was too quick for Kagome and grabbed her wrist before she had a chance to cover the rest of her arm.

"This." Inuyasha held up Kagome's arm to her face, as if she hadn't known the five long, purplish bruises weren't there. Someone had grabbed Kagome, a much stronger somebody. The girl refused to look him in the eyes for a heartbeat or two. Right before Inuyasha was about to release her arm, a car horn emitted a few honks. Kagome's face paled even more, making her whiter than Inuyasha's hair. The two kids peered over Inuyasha's shoulder to the parking lot, where a rusty car idled. The man inside was glaring at the two, as if the scorch of his gaze would pry Inuyasha's hand from his daughter's arm.

"I have to go, Inuyasha," Kagome still did not look the hanyou in the eye, but he let go of her anyway. He was shocked. That was the first time in a while Kagome hadn't called him by his nickname.

"Kagome. . ."

"Just- just never mind, Inuyasha!" The girl hissed before walking hurriedly from Inuyasha. He heard the car drive away, heard the engine groan in protest, heard Kagome's father yelling at her. The boy didn't know anyone who couldn't hear it. Inuyasha stood as the sounds faded away, his hand reaching up to his red hoodie sleeve, pulling the fabric back.

"I won't never mind, Kagome. I know how it feels and it hurts even after the bruises go away," the boy massaged a circular bruise of his own. This one was fresh, purple edged in blue. Inuyasha wanted to tell Kagome that she wasn't alone. However, he knew that if anyone else knew, it'd be more than just a few bruises next time.


End file.
